By Sean McDaniel: International Boxing Organization cruiserweight champion Danny Green (27-3, 24 KO’s) says he sees himself stopping Roy Jones Jr. (54-5, 40 KO’s) before the 12th round when they meet on December 2nd at the Acer Arena, in Sydney, Australia. Green, 36, who previously held the WBA light heavyweight title in 2007 before retiring, is looking to take out the 40-year-old Jones and in the process enhancing his own reputation with the victory.

It’s unfortunate that a victory over Jones will be likely tainted because Jones has been on the downside of his career since 2004 and has lost four out of his last nine fights.

Jones still has ability, as evidenced by his wins over Jeff Lacy, Omar Sheika, Felix Trinidad and Anthony Hanshaw in recent years, but he’s a long ways from his championship form in the early 90s. Given the amount of deterioration in his ability, Jones might we shot enough for Green to pull out a victory, although it’s doubtful that Green will be able to take Jones out.

Jones will be trying to capture his 5th world title in five different weight classes. IBO cruiserweight title, one that isn’t considered a major title, will be enough for Jones to add to his collection. But that’s not what Jones is really after here.

This bout is going to give him a nice payday without the risk of facing more dangerous fighters in the light heavyweight division like Chad Dawson, Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver. At least against Green, Jones has a pretty good chance of winning. It’s doubtful that Jones could beat Johnson, Tarver and Dawson at this point in his career.

For Green, a win over Jones would still leave him the holder of a minor belt. If Green wants to accomplish anything, he’s going to need to go after one of the light heavyweight champions in the division like Jean Pascal, Gabriel Campillo, Tavoris Cloud or Zsolt Erdei. Green is ranked #5 in the World Boxing Association light heavyweight division, so he can always go after Campillo to try and win his title.

If Green chooses to continue to defend his IBO title, he’ll likely end up facing lesser opponents compared to if he was holding down a major belt in the cruiserweight division. Of course,. It’s doubtful that Green could win a major title at his age, but it’s possible.

For his part, Jones is also predicting a knockout, but isn’t sure which round he’ll be taking Green out. “If he’s [Green] going to hit me hard as hell early, because I know he’s strong, he’s quick, it’ll piss me off and from there, there we go,” Jones said. The fight is doubly important for Jones, because if he loses the fight, then he can kiss goodbye a 2010 big money fight against Bernard Hopkins.

Jones signed for the Green fight well before he set up a fight against Hopkins. None the less, it’s a risky fight for Jones, because he gains little for making the fight. Americans could care less whether he can beat the little known 36-old Green, because he isn’t seen a great fighter by anyone. He’s just a fighter that briefly held a title a couple of years ago and then retired.